Respiratory System

* Breathing- inspiration and expiration of

gases
* Respiration- involvement of exchange of
gases in the alveoli
* The challenge of land animals is to
maintain moisture of the body and have
sufficient oxygen level making us aerobic
animals
Function
o Provides large area for gas exchange
between air and circulating blood
o Moves air to and from the gas
exchange surfaces of lungs
o Provides non-specific defenses against
invading air-borne pathogens
o Produces sound permitting speech,
singing and non-verbal communication
o Provides olfactory senses to CNS
Organization of Respiratory Tract
o Nose- passageway of air to the lungs.
It helps in protecting the body from
different pathogens through mucus
and cilia. The nose has the sinuses.

Nasal Cavities
Paranasal Sinuses
Pharynx- throat
Larynx- voice box containing the vocal
chords. The vocal chords vibrate to
alter the airs properties to make
distinct sounds and the glottis also
helps as well
o Trachea- windpipe and main
connective tube
o Bronchi- Main tube or passageway of
air to lungs (2)
o Lungs- main organ of the respiratory
system (divided into lobes: left has 2
lobes, right has 3 lobes)
o Bronchioles- branching tubes of the
bronchi
o Alveoli- areas of gas exchange (oxygen
and carbon dioxide with some waste
materials). They are packed in lobules
(bunch of alveoli)
Respiratory Membrane
o Consists of 3 Components
Squamos Epithelium lining alveolus
Endothelial Cells lining capillary
o
o
o
o

 Fused basement between alveolus

and endothelial cells
o Very rapid diffusion due to:
Solubility of O2 and CO2 in lipids
Short distance
Respiration and Health
o Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
Strep Throat
- Streptococcus pyogenes
Sinusitis
- Infection of the sinuses
Tonsilitis
- Infection of tonsils
Laryngitis
- Infection of Larynx
o Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Acute Bronchitis
- Infection of pulmonary and
secondary bronchi
Pneumonia
- Viral or bacterial infection of the
lungs where bronchi or alveoli are
filled with fluid
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
- Tubercle bacillus
o Disorders

 Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Fibrous connective tissue builds
up in the lungs
Chronic Bronchitis
- Airways are inflamed and filled
with mucus
Emphysema
- Alveoli are distended and walls
are damaged reducing surface
are for gas exchange
Asthma
- Airways are sensitive to specific
stimulants or irritants
- When exposed to irritants,
abnormal smooth muscle spasms
occur in the bronchioles
Lung Cancer
- Begins with thickening and
callusing of cells lining the airway

o Diseases
Sleep Apnea

- Obstruction of upper airways

especially the pharynx or by
impaired CNS respiratory drive
Chronic Pulmonary Emphysema
- Excess air in the lungs
Pneumonia
- Inflammatory
- Some of the alveoli or all alveoli
filled with fluids and blood cells
Asthma
* Abnormal muscle contractions or spasms
* Chronic and long term
* Inflamed and narrow airways
* 25 million people had asthma (7 million
are children)
* Normally starts at childhood
Symptoms
1. Pain
2. Coughing
3. Wheezing (identified by the pitch of
breathing in the stethoscope)
4. Shortness of breath
5. Night sweats
o Diseases with the same symptoms
a. Sinusitis chronic (life-long),
worsens through asthma

b. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary

Disease (COPD)- chronic pulmonary
bronchitis, emphysema, and others
c. Obstructive Sleep Apnea- absence
of breathing when asleep
Diagnosis
o Physical Examination
* Nose throat and upper airways
* Skin- allergic condition: eczema
and allergies
o Lung Function Tests
* Spirometry- amount and speed of
blowing out air done with a
spirometer
* 1st reading: no medication, 2nd
reading: with medication
* Metacholine Challenge Test- cannot
be used to people who cannot
undergo spirometry
* Peak Flow Meter- small, portable,
how well you are able to breathe
Treatment
o Inhaler- direct to lungs
o Nebulizer- liquid to mist, breath in
treatment, immediate and

maintenance, more convenient to

children
o Bronchodilator
Prognosis
o Incurable
o Without treatment: cyanosis (blue
lips), may damage speaking,
sometimes death (uncommon/ rare)
o With treatment: reliefs the person and
lengthens life expectancy
Tuberculosis
* Infectious disease
* Caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis
* If it is latent, symptoms do not appear
* 2014 Stats: 9.6 million (active) with 1.5
million deaths
* 95% occur in developing countries
* Afflicted 15% of Asian and African
population and 5-10% of American
population
* Spread through the air when victim
coughs, speak or spit
More likely victims
* Smokers
* HIV Patients

 Symptoms
* Severe cough causing chest pain
* Wheezing
* High fever
* Vomiting blood
* Weight loss
* Appetite loss
* Night sweats
* Coughing of sputum
* TB Cells: accumulation are signs of
active tuberculosis and are massive
balls present in the lungs
o Diseases with the same symptoms
Pulmonary Nocardiosis
Pulmonary Infiltrates
Pleupulmonary Eosinophilia
Diagnosis
o Tuberculine Skin Test
- Small amount of protein is
injected to the skin and if
swelling occurs above 5 mm,
means that a person has TB. It
must not be scratched
o Sputum Culture Test

- Testing mucus from the lungs

- Best for active TB
- Takes 1-8 weeks for results
o Tuberculine Blood Test
- Blood sample is exposed to chech
for TB
- Results arrive in 24 hours
Treatments
A. Antibiotics: 6-9 months, dose depends
on age, type of TB and tolerance
- Examples: Ethambutol, isoniazid,
rifampin and pyrazinamide.
(some side effects are nausea,
vomiting, change in skin color,
fever)